FT EARNING $5K/MONTH AND PAYING $1.5K FOR ROOM RENTAL, ASKS IS IT WORTH IT

is $1450 rental cheap or expensive?

hi guys, im a foreigner renting a master room in bukit timah for $1450, been staying here since oct. previously i was renting a room in choa chu kang but the landlord put the place on sale.

ive been getting mixed responses when i tell ppl im paying 1450, some says its too expensive, some says its cheap as their friends with master room pay $1500-$1800.

i like the place and everything, im just concerned about the price. before, i thought it was a good deal, but then ppl’s negative reactions started to get to me so im thinking if i should move out when the minimum period finishes (6months)

my friend offered me a common room at her condo at woodlands for $1000 but the place is quite small. moreover, im scared for the long commute to my office in orchard. moving to bukit timah which is 30mins commute to orchard has helped me feel less tired and not waste time

my financial advisor said that ideally rent should be 1/5 of salary. my salary is 5k for junior position in tech. idk if i will be able to reach 7k?? im not that good:(

i guess i know all of the stuff to consider about choosing a place to live, like location, room size, amenities, etc. i guess i want more opinions on if 1450$ might be financially disruptive for me in the long run. thx

Netizens’ comments

1. Local here, I’m paying 1400 for a small condo common room at the city fringe (sharing toilet with 3 others…) so I think 1450 for master bedroom is very good already. Bukit Timah is considered a central/affluent area in Singapore.
2. Is this a master bedroom in a HDB or a condo? Generally, I usually assume it’s a HDB Master bedroom when the words ‘Master Bedroom’ is used.
   Generally, this kind of price for a Master bedroom (with an attached toilet) is really quite quite okay. Although I do not know what are your arrangements for utilities are.
   I have seen HDB Master bedrooms going for $1800 in very good locations. I don’t know where your exact location is. But HDB Master bedroom rents have been surging upwards due to high demand (singapore opening up it’s borders + more married couples renting while waiting for BTO).
   You can probably get greater savings if you downgrade to a HDB common room